Machine for marking beveled or conical surfaces



Dec. v22,' V 1942. ArHRcP 2,306,092

MACHINEFOR MARKING BEVELED 0R CONICAL SURFACES Filed April 18. 1941 3Sheets-Sheet l lNvsNToR: FlRNoLo THROP A. THROP Dec. 22, m42.

.MACHINE FOR MARKING BEYELED 0R GONICAL SURFACES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledAp'ril 18. 1941 u wm ,rNvaNroR v I FInNoLoTHr-'cop By; r

F11-TORNEI Dec. 22V, 1942'. l A. THRoP A MACHINE FOR MARKING BEvELED OCONICAL SURFACES Filed April ia; -1941 s sheets-sheet s IBG lNvaNTn:RRNoLD THRoP By:

v l 5460. 6a 147 z 6919 6o FI TToRNEY Patented Dec. 22, 1942 MACHINE FORMARKING BEVELED OR CONICAL SURFACES Arnold Throp, Sheffield, England,assignor to Edward Pryor and Son, Limited, Sheffield, Eng'- land, aBritish company Application April 18, 1941, Serial No. 389,152 In GreatBritain April 30, 1940 13 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for marking graduations, numerals orother indices upon the conical surface of a body.

In machines at present employed for marking work-pieces having conicalsurfaces, such surfaces are marked by a complementary conical die, thework-piece and die being carried by separate spindles which are set in arigid fashion at the requisite angle to suit a particular workpiece.Consequently, in order that such machines be able to mark otherwork-pieces having conical surfaces of different angles, new mountingsfor the machine spindles, likewise rigid, must be provided. As it isvital, for accurate work, that the Work-piece and marking die be gearedtogether by means of toothed wheels, two fresh wheels making a properpair must be included in the new mountings for every change of angle.Such machines therefore lack universality and the changes of workinvolve expensive alterations to the machines. Moreover, the presentstatey of technical achievement in making marking dies permits of makingfiat dies much more accurately than dies which are beveled or conical soas to be complementary to a beveled or conical workp1ece.

An object of this invention therefore is to provide an improved methodof and machines for marking the conical surfaces more expeditiously,eflicently and accurately than hitherto.

A further object of the invention is to provide improvements whereby theconical surface of a body is marked by a mark carried on the fiatsurface of a marking die.

A further object of the invention is to provide improvements whereby atrue rolling action of the conical surface over the flat surface ofthemarking die will be obtained to produce faithful impressions of a mark.

The invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of elements hereinafter described as well asin the method of marking hereinafter set forth, all as set out in theclaims and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the principles of myinvention, the View showing the machine as seen from the rear sidethereof.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View, to an enlarged scale, of themachine as seen from the opposite side. I

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view indicative of a cone rolling upon a flatsurface and illustrating the principle of my invention, the cone repressenting the conical surface of a work-piece and the flat surfacerepresenting the flat surface of a marking die.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of the machine taken through the centres ofthe work-piece carrying member and the marking die carrying spindle,

the latter, as well as part of the Work-piece carrying member, beingshown in full.

Fig. 5 is a sectional part elevation of the machine with the work-piececarrying member and housing means therefor being omitted.

Fig. 6 is a sectional end elevation, on line 6-6, Fig. 4, of the markingdie housing means.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of work-piececarrying member and housing means therefor.

Fig. 8 is a cross section, on the line 8-8, Fig. '7.V

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of a further modified form of work-piececarrying member.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a further modified formof Work-piece carrying member and housing means therefor.

Referring to Figs. l to 6 inclusive, the machine comprises a-standard I0carrying a detachable supporting head II for a work supporting heus--ing I2 and a marking die supporting housing I3,A the two housings eachbeing removably and adjustably secured to the upper face of said head II by means of a circular groove I4 and holding down bolts I5 and IBrespectively, whereby the said housings may be positioned relatively toeach other Within the limits of said circular groove I4.

The work supporting housing I2 rotatably accommodates a horizontalwork-piece carryingv spindle I1, the axis of which intersects thevertical axis of the circular groove I4. The end of the spindle I'Idirected towards the axis of the circular groove I4 projects from thehousing I2 and is adapted at its extremity to receive a conicallysurfaced work-piece I8, and intermediate of the housing and saidwork-piece, the said spindle is provided with a bevel pinion I9, thearrangement being such that the pitch cone of the bevel pinion and thecone of the conical surface of the work-piece shall coincide in orderthat their apices will be positioned at a common point in the axis ofthe circular groove I4.

The housing I3 for the marking die rotatably accommodates a sleeve 20provided with a radial flange 2 I. Extending yfrom this radial flangeand integral therewith is an axial flange 22, the annular extremity vofwhich is toothed to constitute a crown-wheel 23 meshing with the bevelpinion I 9. Rotatable with and slidably accommodated in the sleeve 20,is a marking die carrying spindle 24 which is retained in a normallyretracted position, relative to the sleeve, by a coil spring 25 bearingagainst the rear end of the sleeve and a flanged end cap 26, said endcap being conveniently secured to the spindle 24 by set screws (notshown).

'I'he forward end of the spindle 24 is enlarged for the attachment of amarking die 21 having a flat mark carrying surface which is presentedangularly towards but normally distant from, the work-piece I8 so thatthe axis of said surface intersects the axis of the work-piece wheresaid latter axis intersects the axis of the circular groove I4 of thehead II. As hereinbefore mentioned, the spindle 24 is slidable andconsequently the marking die 21 is slidable therewith.

The object of the slidability of the marking die 21 and its spindle 24,is to permit the marking surface of said die, on advance of the spindle24, to be brought into contact with the conical surface of thework-piece I8, and since the respective locations of the work-piece andmarking die are such that their axes intersect each other at the pointwhere they also intersect the axis of the circular groove I4, the resultwill be that,v on contact of the marking surface of the marking die withthe conical surface of the workpiece I8, the apex of the cone of saidworkpiece will lie at the centre of rotation of the surface of themarking die 21.

For advancing the marking die spindle 24 to bring the marking surfaceof, the marking die into contact with the conical surface of theworkpiece as aforesaid, the pusher end 28 of a rocker arm 29 maintainscontact with a thrust pad 30 housed in the end cap 26 to exert apressure forwardly upon the marking die spindle 24 when the rocker arm29 is operated by a spring restrained foot actuated lever 3|' to whichit is con nected by a pull rod 32.

The rocker arm 29 sits with its fulcrum 33 in a cup shaped seating 34provided in a slotted extension 35 of the head Il.

With the spindle 24 advanced as immediately before described, theconical surface of the workpiece I8 and the flat surface of the markingdie 21 contact with each other in accordance with the principle that theapex of said conical surface lies at the centre of rotation of said flatsurface as before mentioned, and on rotational movement of either thework-piece I8 or the marking die 21, the conical surface of saidworkpiece will roll upon the at surface of said marking die symbolicalof a cone rolling thereon in` a circular path with its apex positionedat the centre of said flat surface as illustrated by the diagram of Fig.3.

For effecting the necessary rotational movement of the conical surfaceand the flat surface of the marking die when brought into contact witheach other as before mentioned, the marking die spindle 24 is providedwith hand manipulated actuating means for effecting its rotation, suchmeans comprising a split gripping ring Y36 tightenable by a set screw 31and having a handle receiving socketed extension 38 for the manipulatinghandle 39.

This spindle actuating ring 36 operates adjacent to the rear wall 4.0 ofthe housing I3, said rear wall being provided with an annular groove 4Iin which stops 42 and 43 for contact by the shoulders 44 and 45respectively of the ring 36, are adjustably positioned forpredetermining the extent of rotational movement of the marking diespindle 24 and consequently of the contacting surfaces of the work-pieceand marking die, the said stops 42 and 43 being predeterminedly set tothe requisite positions to permit the required amount of rotationalmovement to be effected according to the length of mark upon the fiatsurface of the marking die 21.

Fig. 7 illustrates an alternative arrangement of work housing I 2a, andWork-piece carrying spindle Ila for securing a work-piece I8a which, inthe example shown for the purpose of illustrationV is a'shell fuse andis secured by being gripped on its outer periphery. The rotatablework-piece carrying spindle I'Ia is hollow and is formed with anenlarged hollow head 60 slidably accommodating interiorly thereof asplit collet 6I which peripherally embraces.an end 62 of the work-pieceat the rear of the conical surface 63 thereof. Engaging the exteriorlythreaded collar 64 of the spindle head 60 is a locating ring 65 forengaging the shoulder 66 formed at the rear of the conical surface ofthe work-piece Illa, said locating ring serving to locate saidwork-piece in correct relation to the bevel pinion I9a formed on thehead 5I), such correct relation being that the cene of the conicalsurface 63 aligns with the pitch cone of the bevel pinion I9a so as tobring the apices of said cones in coincidence.

The hollow spindle I'Ia is screw threaded exteriorly at its inner end toreceive a threaded collar 61 abutting the ball bearing 68 wherebyA inconjunction with a shoulder 69 at the 'rear' of the head lillV abuttingthe roller bearing 1U, the said spindle is locked against axialmovement. Passing axially through the spindle and slidablev relativethereto is a bolt 1I, the head of which:

A ball cage 15 carries balls 11 operating in ta.

pered pockets 18 of the ring 14 and between opposing collars 19 and 8Uprovided loosely on the bolt 1 I, the collar 80 being held againstmovement and the collar 19 having freedom of movement axially andbearing against a thrust bearing 8| located adjacent the nut 13, thearrangement being such that on rotational movement of thev ratchet ring14 in the requisite direction to conne the balls at the smaller ends ofthe pockets 18, the movable collar 19 will be moved away from thestationary collar and thereby cause retraction of the bolt 1I which inconsequence will retract the split collet 6I sufficiently to tighten itupon the periphery of the Workpiece I8c for securely holding the latter.

Fig. 9 shows a method of holding a work-piece Ib by gripping it on theinner periphery thereof with an expandible split collet which isVadapted to be expanded by axial retraction ofv an integrally combinedbolt 9| by similar means to that in which the bolt 1I of Fig. 7 isretracted.

Fig. l0 illustrates an alternative arrangement in which the Work-pieceI8c is rotationally operated instead of rotating the marking die 21 of,Figs. 1 to 6, for effecting the desired rotational movement of theirrespective surfaces when in contact with each other. In this arrangementthe work-piece I8c is held on its inner screw threaded periphery by thethreaded end |00 of a hand rotatable spindle IDI rotatably held in ahollow work-piece carrying spindle |02 which is rotationally operable bya hand lever |03, keyed thereto, for eecting the desired rotationalmovement of the conical surface of said Work-piece and the markingsurface of a marking die brought into contact therewith in the mannerbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6.

In the alternative arrangement of Fig. means are incorporated forensuringthat a denite position of the conical surface of the Workpiece|80 is located relative to a mark upon the marking surface of a markingdie and such means comprises a spring pressed trigger IM pivoted to thework-piece carrying spindle |02 in front of its bevel pinion |90, saidtrigger engaging a hole in the periphery of the work-piece |80. As aresult, the impression made on the workpiece |80 by a mark carried on amarking die will bear a definite relation to the hole in its positionupon the conical surface of the workpiece and enable repetitive markingsto be made upon successive identical work-pieces in the same positionthereon.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A marking machine comprising an axially movable rotatable marking dieand supporting means therefor, a at mark carrying surface to saidmarking die, a work holder adapted to rotatably support a conicallysurfaced work piece, supporting means for, and permitting adjustment of,said work holder whereby said work piece can be positioned With its axisdisposed angularly with respect to and intersecting the axis of themarking die, means for holding the marking die in a normally retractedinoperative position, said means being adapted to yield to permit theaxial advance of said marking die into operative position and to re-actto retract said marking die to its inoperative position, means foraxially advancing the marking die to said operative position to pressthe flat mark Carrying surface thereof into contact with the conicalsurface of the work piece and thereby to locate the centre of rotationof said mark carrying surface coincident with the apex of the cone ofsaid conical surface and means for effecting rotational movement of saidcontacting surfaces.

2. A marking machine comprising an axially movable rotatable marking dieand supporting 'means therefor, a fiat mark carrying surface to saidmarking die, a mark on said surface, a Work holder adapted to rotatablysupport a conically surfaced work-piece, supporting means for, andpermitting adjustment of, said work holder whereby said work-piece canbe positioned with its axis disposed angularly with respect to andintersecting the axis of the marking die, means for holding the markingdie in a normally retracted inoperative position, said means beingadapted to yield to permit the axial advance of said marking die intooperative position and to re-act to retract said marking die to itsinoperative position, means for axially advancing the marking die tosaid operative position to press the flat mark carrying surface thereofinto contact with the conical surface of the work piece and thereby tolocate the centre of rotation of said mark carrying surface coincidentwith the apex of the cone of said conical surface, means for effectingrotational movement of said contacting surfaces and means formaintaining unison of said rotational movement of said contactingsurfaces.

3. A marking machine comprising an axially movable rotatable marking dieand supporting means therefor, a fiat mark carrying surface to saidmarking die, a mark on said surface, a Work holder adapted to rotatablysupport a conically surfaced Work-piece, supporting means for, andpermitting adjustment of, said work holder whereby said work-piece canbe positioned with its axis disposed angularly with respect to andintersecting the axis of the marking die, means for holding the markingdie in a normally retracted inoperative position, said means beingadapted to yield to permit the axial advance of said marking die'intooperative position and to re-act t0 retract said marking die to itsinoperative position, means for axially advancing the marking die tosaid operative position to press the fiat mark carrying surface thereofinto contact with the conical surface of the work-piece and thereby tolocate the centre of rotation of said mark carrying surface coincidentwith the apex of the cone of said conical surface, means for effectingrotational movement of said contasting surfaces and means on the workholder for locating the work-piece in a predetermined angular positionrelative to the mark on the fiat' mark carrying surface of the markingdie.

4. A marking machine comprising an axially movable rotatable markingdieand supporting means therefor, a flat mark carrying surface to saidmarking die, amark on said surface, a work holder .adapted to rotatablysupport a conically surfaced work-piece, supporting means for, andpermitting adjustment of, said work holder whereby said work-piece canbe positioned with its axis disposed angularly with respect to andintersecting the axis of the marking die, means for holding the markingdie in a normally retracted inoperative position, said means beingadapted to yield to permit axial advance of said marking die into anoperative position and to re-act to retnact said marking die to itsinoperative position, means for axially advancing the marking die tosaid operative position to press the flat mark carrying surface thereofinto contact with the conical surface of the work-piece and thereby tolocate the centre of rotation of said mark carrying surface coincidentwith the apex of the cone of said conic-al surface, means for effectingrotational movement of said contacting surfaces and means formaintaining unison of said rotational movement of said contactingsurfaces, said means comprising a crown wheel rotatable with the markingdie and meshing with a bevel pinion rotatable with the workpiece.

5. A marking machine comprising an axially movable rotatable markingdie, a fiat mark carrying surface to said marking die, a mark on saidsurface, a rotatable work-piece carrying member adapted to receive andsecurely hold a conically surfaced Work-piece, separate housing meansfor said marking die and said member and accommodating said die and saidmember with their axes intersecting each other, supporting means for andcommon to both cf said housing means permitting adjustment relative toeach other of said housing means within a' circular path whose axisintersects the axes of the marking die and the Work-piece carryingmember, means for holding the marking die in a normally retractedinoperative position, said means being adapted to yield to permit axialad-V Vance of said marking die into an operative position` and to re-actto retract said marking die to its inoperative position, meansfor-axially advancing the marking die to said operative position topress the at mark carrying surface thereof into contact with the conicalsurface of the work piece and thereby to locate the centre of rotationof said mark carrying surface coincident with the apex of the cone ofsaid conical surface and means for effecting rotational movement of saidcontacting surfaces.

6. A marking machine comprising an axially movable rotatable markingdie, a fat mark carrying surface to said marking die, a mark on saidsurface, a rotatable work-piece carrying member adapted to receive andsecurely hold a conically surfaced work-piece, separate housing meansfor said marking die and said member and accommodating said die and saidmember with their axes intersecting each other, supporting means for andcommon to both of said housing means permitting adjustment relative toeach other of said housing means Within a circular path whose axisintersects the axes of the marking die and the work-piece carryingmember, means for holding the marking die in a normally retractedinoperative position, said means being adapted to yield to permit axialadvance of said marking die into an operative position and to re-act toretract said marking die to its inoperative position, means for axiallyadvancing the marking die to said operative position to press the fiatmark carrying surface thereof into contact with the conical surface ofthe work-piece and thereby to locate the centre of rotation of said markcarrying surface coincident with the apex of the cone of said conicalsurface, means for effecting rotational movement of said contactingsurfaces and means for maintainingr unison of said rotational movementof said contacting surfaces 7. A marking machine comprising an axiallymovable rotatable marking die, a flat mark carrying surface to saidmarking die, a mark on said surface, a rotatable work piece carryingmember adapted to receive and securely hold a conically surfacedwork-piece, separate housing means for said marking die and said memberand accommodating said die and said member with their axes intersectingeach other, supporting means for and common to both of said housingmeans permitting adjustment relative to each other of said housing meanswithin a circular path whose axis intersects the axes of the marking dieand the work-piece carrying member, means for holding the marking die ina normally retracted inoperative position, said means being adapted toyield to permit axial advance of said marking die into an operativeposition, means for axially advancing the marking die to said operativeposition to press the flat mark carrying surface thereof into contactwith the conical surface of the work-piece and thereby to locate thecentre of rotation of said mark carrying surface coincident with theapex of said conical surface, means for effecting rotational movement ofsaid contacting surfaces, means for maintaining unison of saidrotational movement of said contacting surfaces and means for limitingthe extent of said rotational movement.

8. A marking machine comprising an axially movable rotatable marking dieand supporting means therefor, a flat mark carrying surface to saidmarking die, a Work holder adapted to rotatably support a conicallysurfaced Workpiece, supporting means for, and permitting adjustment of,said work holder whereby said work piece can be positioned with its axisdisposed angularly with respect to and intersecting the axisy of themarking die, means for holding the marking die in anormally retractedinoperative position, said means being adapted to yield to permit theaxial advance of said marking die into operative position and to re-actto retract said marking die to its inoperative position, means foraxially advancing the marking die to said operative position to pressthe flat mark carrying surface thereof into contact with the conicalsurface of the work-piece and thereby to locate the centre of rotationof said mark carrying surface coincident With the apex of the cone ofsaid conical surface and means for effecting rotational movement of saidcontacting surfaces by rotationally operating the marking die.

9. A marking machine comprising an axially movable rotatable marking dieand supporting means therefor, a fiat mark carrying surface to saidmarking die, a work holder adapted to rotatably support a conicallysurfaced work-piece, supporting means for, and permitting adjustment of,said Work holder whereby said workpiece can be positioned with its axisdisposed angularly with respect to and intersecting the axis of themarking die, means for holding the marking die in a normally retractedinoperative position, said means being adapted to yield to permit theaxial advance of said marking die into operative position and to re-actto retract said marking die to its inoperative position, means foraxially advancing the marking die to said operative position to pressthe flat mark n carrying surface thereof into Contact with the conicalsurface of the work piece and thereby to locate the centre of rotationof said mark carrying surface coincident with the apex of the cone ofsaid conical surface, means for effecting rotational movement of saidcontacting surfaces by rotationally operating the marking die and meansfor maintaining unison of said rotational movement of said contactingsurfaces.

10. A marking machine comprising an axially movable rotatable markingdie and supporting means therefor, a at mark carrying surface to saidmarking die, a Work holder adapted to rotatably support a conicallysurfaced work-piece, supporting means for, and permitting adjustment of,said work holder whereby said workpiece can be positioned with its axisdisposed angularly with respectl to and intersecting the axis of themarking die, means for holding the marking die in a normally retractedinoperative position, said means being adapted to yield to permit theaxial advance of said marking die into operative position and to re-actto retract said marking Ydie to its inoperative position, means foraxially advancing the marking die to said operative position to pressthe at mark carrying surface thereof into contact with the conicalsurface of the Work-piece and thereby to locate the centre of rotationof said mark carrying surface coincident with the apex of the cone ofsaid conical surface, means for effecting rotational movement of saidcontacting surfaces by rotationally operating the Work-piece carryingmember and means for maintaining unison of said rotational movement-l ofsaid contacting surfaces.

11. A marking machine comprising a standard, a supporting head on saidstandard, means removably and adjustably secured to said head housing arotatable work-piece carrying member, means also removablyand adjustablysecured to the head housing a rotatable sleeve, a spindle axiallyslidable in and rotatable with said sleeve, a marking die carried bysaid spindle, a flat mark carrying surface to said marking die disposedradially to the axis of said spindle and exposedly of said sleeve, meansassociated with the sleeve for yieldingly retaining the marking diecarrying spindle normally in a retracted position relative to saidsleeve, means on the Work-piece carrying member for retaining aconically surfaced i Work-piece on said member, means on the headcomprising a crcularly grooved face thereto permitting adjustablepositioning of both of the housing means thereon whereby to present theconical surface of the work-piece adjacent to but out of contact withthe flat mark carrying surface and so that the axis of said conicalsurface intersects the axis of said flat mark carrying surface, meansfor axially advancing the marking die carrying spindle relative to thesleeve against the action of the yielding retaining means to press theflat mark carrying surface of the marking die into contact with theconical surface of the work-piece and thereby to bring the centre ofsaid mark carrying surface coincident with the apex of the cone of saidconical surface and means for rotationally operating the marking diecarrying spindle to cause the said contacting conical and flat markcarrying surfaces to rotationally move together whereby an impression ofa mark on said at mark carrying surface is made upon the conicalsurface, the yielding retaining means thereafter re-acting forretracting the marking die carrying spindle.

12. A marking machine comprising a standard, :A

a supporting head on said standard, means removably and adjustablysecured to said head housing a rotatable work-piece carrying member,means also removable and adjustably secured to the head housing arotatable sleeve, a spindle axially slidable in and rotatable with saidsleeve, a marking die carried by said spindle, a iiat mark carryingsurface to said marking die disposed radially to the axis of saidspindle and exposedly of said sleeve, means associated with the sleevefor yieldingly retaining the marking die carrying spindle normally in aretracted position relative to said sleeve, means on the work-piececarrying member for retaining a conically surfaced work-piece on saidmember, means on the head comprising a crcularly grooved face theretopermitting adjustable positioning of both of the housing means thereonwhereby to present the conical surface of the work-piece adjacent to butout of Contact with the at mark carrying surface and so that the axis ofsaid conical surface intersects the axis of said flat mark carryingsurface, means for axially advancing the marking die carrying spindlerelative to the sleeve against the action of the yielding retainingmeans to press the flat mark carrying surface of the marking die intocontact with the conical surface of the work-piece and thereby to bringthe centre of said mark carrying surface coincident with the apex of thecone of said conical surface, means for rotationally operating themarking die carrying spindle to cause the said contacting conical andflat mark carrying surfaces to rotationally move together whereby animpression of a mark on said flat mark carrying surface is made upon theconical surface, the yielding retaining means thereafter re-acting forretracting the marking die carrying spindle and means for ensuringunison of rotational movement of said contacting conical and fiat markcarrying surfaces.

13. A marking machine for marking the conical surface of a bodycomprising a standard, a head to the standard incorporating a supportingface, a rotatable marking die terminating in a flat mark carryingsurface perpendicular to the axis thereof, supporting means for the diemounted upon the said face, a rotatable Work carrying spindle adapted tocarry a conically surfaced work-piece, supporting means for the spindlealso mounted upon the said face, said face having a circular track, atleast one of said supporting means being adjustable along said trackthereby to adjust the two supporting means with respect to one anotherupon the said face so as to locate the work carrying spindle and themarking die with their axes intersecting each other, the axis of saidtrack intersecting the axes of the work and die at their intersection,and with the flat mark carrying surface in contact with the conicalsurface of the work-piece whereby the apex of the cone of said conicalsurface lies at the centre of rotation of the said flat mark carryingsurface and means for effecting rotational movement of the saidcontacting surfaces.

ARNOLD THROP.

